Coupling for trucks



E. L. PETERSON.

COUPLING FOR TRUCKS.

APPLICATION FILED AUGII. I918. RENEWED AUG. 2. I922.

I,%82,61I5. Patented Oct. 17,1922,

I I I l I I I I I l I I I I I I I I l l I I I I I I I I I I I wemtoz Patented Get. ll'Y, 192321..

EDWIN I4. PETERSON, OF PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA, 'ASSIGNOR, BY .MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'IQ SHARONIRESSED STEEL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENN- SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

COUPLING FOE TRUCKS.

Application filed august-i, 1915, Serial No. 247,728. Renewed August 2,1922. Serial No. 579,233.

Be it known that I, EDW'IN L. PETERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Fennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings for Trucks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper tains to make and use the same.

My invention'relates to trucks, but more particularly to couplers for trucks, or means for connecting two or more such vehicles together. i

It has for an object the manufacture of couplers for the purpose indicated, which are highly efiicient in operation, durable in construction, and economical of production.

A further object ofthis invention is the production of couplers having means whereby they are readily retained in a vertical position to economize storage space when not in actual service. l v

A further object is'the production of means whereby such couplers are prevented from coming into contact with a floor or roadbed when carelessly or accidentally disconnected. from a leading truck.

A further object is the production of couplers which are not likely to become accidentally uncoupled, but which at the same time may readily be detached when necessity or occasion requires.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention will now be particularly described and later pointed out by the claims following.

n the acconnpanying drawings which form part of this application for Letters Patent, and whereon like characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

.Figure 1 illustrates mainly in plan the rear end of a leading or motor truck, and the front end of a trailer connected by my improved coupler.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of parts illustrated by Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing the coupling link and means by which the coupler may be automatically retained in a vertical position when not in service.

Reference being had to the drawings and numerals thereon, 1 indicates an advance or leading truck, and 2 indicates a trailer, both of ordinary or any approved construction, the latter equipped with a pair of eye-bolts or clevises 3, 3, one on either side ofitscen ter, and the former, having a central rearwardly projecting coupling eye l, but all securely attached to the frame of their respective trucks.

In the clevises 3, 3 of truck 2 are mounted the bifurcated ends of my improved coupler, as shown by Figure 1. This coupler may be made of anysuitable material, but preferably of malleable iron, ribbed longitudinally as indicated at 5, for strengtheningpurposes, and preferably, but not necessarily, of bifurcated or V form, as shown.

At its free end this coupler is provided with an ordinary integral hook 6 adapted to enter the eye 4 as shown by Figures 1 and 2, forcoupling purposes, its projecting bifurcated ends being provided I with coupling shackles 7 of approximately triangular form having anopening orgap 8 in one side thereof. The opening 8 of these shackles 7 is upon the under side of each, and is of liberal dimensions, as best shown by Figures 2 and 3, the shackles themselves upon both sides of their respective openings or gaps 8 being slightly inturned as shown at 9 for purposes which will appear in connection with a brief statement of operation as follows:

Presuming the relation of parts to be as indicated by Figures 1 and 2, it is quite obvious that truck 2 will trail after truck 1 accurately, with little or no chance of becoming accidentally uncoupled. If, how

ever, it is desired to disconnect the trucks this is readily accomplished by merely lifting the hook member 6 out of its eye 4,

whereupon it will assume substantially thev position indicated by dotted lines in- Figure 2, but will not come in contact with the warehouse floor or ground this being prevented by engagement of the vertically positioned relatively straight side of the triangular shackle 7 with the vertical surface provided in the clevis or eye 3, whereby the longitudinal axis of the improved coupler is maintained in approximately a horizontal position.

lVhen, however, it is desired as a matter of economizing space in a warehouse, for ex ample, or elsewhere, the outer free end of lifted to a vertical position indicated by Figure 3 Oil the drawings Where it will remain safely against the chance of accidental dislo dgem ent.

During'the last operation the triangular shackles 7 merely slide through the openings of their respective clevises 3 until arrested as shown in Figure 3, by the upper hooked inturned end 9, in which position the coupler Wlll securely remain until manually dislodged. When, on the other hand, it is desired to couple one truck equipped Withiny invention to another, the coupler first lifted bodily and then turned upon its clevises 3, until its draw-hook 6 enters the coupling eye l upon the leading truck. .YWhen'litted from said coupled position, s will be apparent by a glanceat Figure 2, the outer end of the coupler descends only partially because of engagement of the relatively straight side of the triangular shackle 7 With. the vertical surface provided in the clevis or eye 3; Whereit is arrested as indicated by dotted lines in said Figure 2.-

The form of couplershovvn and described is its best form at present known to me but at the same time it should be understood that variouschanges in the form, arrangement and combination ofthe component parts of this device may readily be made and substituted forthose herein shown, Without in the least departing from the spirit'of the invention, so longas thefunctions of coupling and of removably sustain ing the coupler in a vertical or horizontal position by means substantially such as shown is present.

Having thus described my invention, hat Iclaim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: H p 1. A coupler for trucks including a coupling shackle of approximately triangular form having one of its sides broken away with inturnedends forming hooks adapted to loosely surround a suitable attaching clevis, and having extended outer bearing surfaces upon its remaining sides torselectively engaging the end sill of a truck.

2 A bifurcated coupler for trucks including coupling shackles 01 approximately triangular form each having one of its sides broken away With inturned ends "forming hooks adapted to loosely surround suitable attaching elevises and having extended outer bearing surfaces upon its remaining sides for selectively engaging the end sill of a truck.

3. A. coupler for trucks including in combination a coupling shackle of triangular 'l'orm having a gap in one of its sides adapted to loosely surround a suitable attaching clevis and having extended outerbearing surfaces upon its remaining sides for selectively engaging the end'sill of a truckQ In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature, in, presence olitwosubscribing Witnesses.

EDWIN PETERSON. Witnesses i E. A. Hess, W. H, MENDENHAL 

